You Make It Real
by Don'tDrinkColdCoffee
Summary: When Arthur Pendragon is asked to accommodate the new scholarship holder, Merlin Emrys, for the last two months of 5th form, he has no idea what he's about to get. But then again, when is one ever? - Modern Boarding School AU
1. Prologue

When Arthur Pendragon was asked to go to the headmaster's office – his father's ones, to be precise – he didn't consider the possibility something life-altering for him was about to happen. In fact, he didn't thought anything in particular that differed much from "How often will I have to tell him I don't want to spend the holidays with him and rather hang out with my mates in London?", when he entered and sat down in front of his father's desk without being asked to.

And yes, he was the only person who did that, but he was seventeen and in a late phase of teenage rebellion before entering 6th form.

"Hello Arthur, please sit down.", asked his father and curled a corner of his lips that transferred a whole wave of disappointment. Arthur thumbed a rhythm on his calve he had angled on his other leg.

"You asked me to see you?"

"Yes, Arthur, there was a matter I'd like to discuss with you. You know, the term will be over in two months..."

"And I still don't want to fly to Nice with you."

"...would you please hear me through?", Uther Pendragon put his glasses on, already a bit annoyed by his son's behaviour. Maybe the matter he liked to discuss would just serve him right, "And you know, in 6th form you'll have your single room, just like you have recently, but, as this is usually not intended for 5th form students, I have to ask you to accommodate the new student in your chambers, uh, room."

Arthur, who had been staring distractedly out of the window, snapped back to look at Uther. "...what?"

"Well, you know, there are the same rules for everybody, and neither can I treat your matters differently just because you are my son, nor do we have space anywhere else for the scholarship boy, I already asked Gaius."

Arthur sighed. If Gaius, the boarding guarantor, already hadn't found a compromise, it was impossible for him to find one. And although he loved his single room for two – who didn't love to have twice as much space as everybody else plus the masterlevel on privacy one could get? - he realised he'd have to accommodate this scholarship guy. It could be fun.

"Okay, I see, I don't have a choice, and it's just for two months, so... Who is he?"

Uther smiled, thinking at least he hadn't ruined his son completely in demeanour.

"Merlin Emrys, _Camelot Foundation_'s scholarship holder. He'll move in with you on Monday."


	2. Chapter 1

It was just not that Merlin had a real problem reading maps. He just wasn't really one for orientation either. So when he jugged his huge staircase to the top of the hill, where there were about 6 houses, each every looking a bit like a castle, set around an even more ancient looking school building, he wondered whether he'd ever manage to get to class in time. The area was huge, about three times what he was used to at home. But he liked that _Camelot College_ (really, what was it that they all had with alliterations nowadays?) seemed to be as isolated as his village had been, so he wouldn't feel so overrun by new impressions.

He stopped in front of one of the houses, adjusted his long scarf and took a deep breath. "Calm down, Merlin", he murmured to himself, "can't be worse than it was at your old school, can it?" He opened his eyes again, just to see a handsome looking blond guy lurking around the stairs to the building now, without dignifying with as much as a glance. Oh right, he remembered himself, public schools are mostly for the rich and famous. And stylish. And beautiful. He sighed, and continued to walk on, as a little boy – probably in his first year there – shot around the corner and gasped: "Sorry, sorry, sorry, I couldn't make it any sooner!" and bashed his bag down in front of the blond guy to fiddle with the documents. "Really, how many free periods have you got? Like, twenty? And it's too much too ask to be in time to give me my homework? Oh no, right, it's completely okay to let me sneak around here, freezing my balls off!" Merlin squirmed at the sound of his voice. He had a pleasant voice, which he'd loved to hear reading an audio book from, but why was it saying so mean things?

The little boy offered a file from below, saying "Sorry?"

"Damn right you are", hissed Blondie and grabbed the file, "And just to be clear, next time..."

"Hey, come on, you've got what you wanted, now let him go."

Merlin wasn't even sure why he'd said it. But he'd been the victim of such attacks often enough at his old school, to know how the boy had to feel. Probably exactly as uncomfortable as he did, once the bully had turned around and set his smug glare on him.

"Oh yes, right. I should definitely do so.", the little boy fled, "And uhm, why again?"

"Because..." "Because you tell me to is not an option, just to have you know."

"Oh, and who are you to say that? The headmaster?", Merlin really had no idea where the sudden self-confident sarcasm came from

"No", and the guy smiled, but it was so cruel, it made Merlin shiver with nasty anticipation, "but his son. Anything else?"

Merlin swallowed. "Uhm..."

"I thought so."

And with that, the guy gave him the smug version of the 'Oh-boy-you're-so-doomed'-look and marched back into the house.

What had his mother told him? A good first impression is everything? Well, congratulations then.

It got even worse after his house master had shown him around a little in the area, told him the most important rules "No drugs, no girls in your room, and a switched light at ten o'clock" and then said, "You will be accommodated in room 305, together with Arthur Pendragon. I'm happy to have you in my house.", as he opened the door.

Merlin, exhausted by having carried around his baggage the whole time, lifted his gaze and thought: "Oh funny. Just livin' in the same house as the bully. Please don't let them all be like that."

Secretly, he had wished for a room mate who could be his best friend, maybe like Will, just better. Will had always been there for him, just... He wanted to have the feeling that there was someone who just... 'got' him, with all his awkwardness sometimes and his enthusiasm about certain things, and for a good amount, Will had tried, but lacked a bit of brain capacity, Merlin had always noticed, but thought it to cruel to tell Will.

And if there'd ever be someone able to be exactly this best friend, he was hopefully attending school here, too.

Fingers crossed, Merlin strode down an aisle somewhere on the second floor and counted rooms, until he found his name on a sign saying "305 Pendragon, Arthur; Emrys, Merlin" and somewhere deep in his heart the courage to knock. He knew the name Pendragon from somewhere. But where? It didn't damper him.

Not really. Not until an awesomely handsome guy opened the door and announced: "Hello, I take it that you must be...", and there had never been a moment of realisation more visible in both of their faces, "Merlin.", they said together, "yes.", probably thinking exactly the same.

Wouldn't it have been for the fact, that it was _his_ room, and he knew someone was about to come to him, Arthur would right have thought, the person knocking was one of those depressed indie guys his sister used to bring home with, what with his scarf, skinny jeans, and was he wearing a cardigan? Just the eye-liner was missing. And on second glance, it was just the creepy kid that tried to behave knightly by saving the little boy of one of his not even genuine threats. Not that this Merlin guy would have to know it. It was probably better he would think of him as a bully, fear him a bit and give him his peace and quiet. Arthur never got along with his sister's boyfriends, why should it be different with this kid? So there was no point in trying. There was just one problem...

"Uhm... Arthur?"

He turned around from the window he been staring out while Merlin unpacked his things and made himself at home in the various corners Arthur had been had cleaned. (As if he would touch a duster by himself, what were the first years there for anyway?)

"What?"

"Is this, uhm... You know... _one_ bed?"

"Ohh... no. But..."

Arthur had the caretakers lift the two beds of the room together, because he thought he'd stay alone in the room. Not that he wouldn't have done it himself, but the bed frames were of the really heavy sort, making it impossible to lift them alone, and now they room was stocked with additional furniture anyway. (Who doesn't love a couch to chill on with a magazine before the mass on Sunday?)

"You know... it's supposed to be two beds. And there are. It's not like there isn't enough space for the two of us, is it?"

Merlin slightly raised his eyebrows, shrugged and then nodded. It was not like everyday there was a handsome guy proposing to share a bed with him, however spoiled his character might have been. Which really was a pity, coming to think of it. All these hours spent daydreaming about a 'best friend', and what did he got? A selfish prat, probably belonging to the "Daddy's-paid-for-it"-club and with no clue or interest in what the real world looks like, just the knowledge he effortlessly could make it PM one day. But then again, at least he would be able to tell his grandchildren he'd slept in the same bed as the Prime Minister. He wasn't entirely sure if this would help him being considered 'cool' in their eyes.

Arthur glanced on his watch: "Anything else? No? Okay, I'm outta here.", and he shrugged his jacket on and went off to football training.

"Merlin! What took you so long?", asked Mr. Gaius when Merlin entered his office in the cellar of the boarding house, "I would have come looking for you, but my back has seen brighter days, so... Anyway I'm glad that you're here, I have to talk over the rules with you and make some settlements on when you can come to me for talking. Everything all right so far?"

Merlin slumped into the chair Mr Gaius had motioned him to sit down in, and sighed the tiniest bit. "Well... yes."

"You're accommodated in the third floor, that's probably the nicest with the biggest rooms and windows, so you can call yourself lucky. Who are you with again?"

"Arthur Pendragon", Merlin grumbled, as if the name was a curse.

"Well, boy, you usually get to pick your roommates at the beginning of the school year, but as your scholarship was confirmed a bit late, you'll have to try to get along with whom you've got. And believe me, it's not that bad."

"But isn't there..."

"No.", Mr. Gaius cut in, because probably he'd had this conversation a five hundred thousand times before, over and over again. Why couldn't the students just accept the person they were set up with, although they were most certainly not able to see that this person might just be their very best friend in the next future? It was always the same.

"There is no other option for you. All fifth form students are to live in shared chambers, you get your single room once you've finished the year, and that is that."

Merlin was truly disappointed, but tried not to show it. Instead he started to gnaw on his sleeve's hem.

"Don't worry Merlin, it's 6 weeks to the terms end you will spent with a great amount of studying, I believe, and then you can go home for Christmas. And you may not think so now, but sooner or later there will occur a coincide over which you can bond with."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "For example?"

"Oh, let's see, for example last year there were bats on the upper floor Percival and Gwaine had to deal with. They're inseparable since!"

Merlin's annoyed expression had turned into slight horror. Mr. Gaius chuckled a bit, "Don't worry, we had the pest exterminator coming since then, but one can never know..."

Merlin was not entirely sure what to think of Mr Gaius. He seemed nice and caring for the most part and he was really glad to be accommodated in his boarding house rather than in Mrs. Morgause's, because she may have smiled, but that alone had looked horrifying, so he really had not intention on meeting with a person like her on a weekly basis to drink tea and talk about his problems.

After Mr. Gaius had introduced him to his weekly schedule, when to get up, when to do his homework, which clubs and societies he had to take part in and when and where they took place, who he could ask for help - "So, your class representative, that would be... well, Arthur, and your boarding representative... Oh, that is Lance du Lac. He's living in room 303, you may drop in for a second, if you don't get along with him you should probably reconsider your choice to board here..." - and when he finally had to turn the lights off to not get detention of any sort. "Oh, there are various places in a boarding house to be cleaned, and the kitchen staff is practically looking for help round the clock."

Merlin's head was buzzing when he got back to his room to find Arthur already in his pyjamas: Some shorts and a defining shirt that left nothing to the imagination – yes, Arthur had a lot of muscles, none of them any less toned than the other.

"Show off", Merlin thought, "or is he doing that to torture me?"

But instead of admiring – or envying, depends – the view in front of him for longer than a second, he mumbled: "D'you know where the wash rooms are?", and headed there quickly after Arthur had shown him.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Good evening, my lovelies! I was feeling quite in a writing mood after the brilliant episode yesterday and thought I might write the next chapter. It took a completely different turn than I expected it to, and I'm fervently apologizing for the sappy quote, but I just couldn't help myself.  
So for now, I'm going to pack my bags to get back to school, and you have fun with a bit 'late night' Merthur. Enjoy!

* * *

A few seconds after 10 pm Merlin stumbled back into his room, the lights already switched off by Arthur. He motioned in the direction where he assumed his wardrobe, his eyes not yet acquainted to the darkness. He bumped into several objects on his way, and when he made it the wardrobe, he was very sure of some bruises already forming along his hipbones. A bit petulant he turned around, almost expecting Arthur to laugh as he hopped from place to place until he he was finally able to sink into his cushions and couldn't suppress a relieved exhalation. That was when Arthur snorted to show he wasn't already asleep; and Mr. Gaius popped his head into the room in his every evening round to make sure they were in bed, turned the lights out and wished them a good night.

Merlin sighed. He felt like for the most part he had had one of the most stressing days in his life, having driven several hours by train, asked his way to _Camelot College_ and made more important acquaintances for his further school life than was probably healthy, but even so couldn't sleep nonetheless. Minutes passed. He possibly had tried everything already – changing his sleeping position but avoiding the one turned to Arthur, imagining baking his favourite cupcakes, counting prime numbers – and still wasn't able to make his way into the land of dreams. So finally he squeezed his eyes shut and turned on his right side, the one he was most comfortable with, but unfortunately the same he would have to see Arthur first thing if he was to open his eyes again. Which he promptly did as he heard a frustrated sigh and the shifting of blankets. So Arthur couldn't sleep as well.

"Did you know that it's harder to fall asleep in a location were not accustomed to or feel unsafe in?"

Merlin had closed his eyes again, making it easier to ignore it if he should be ignored. Which it seemed like.

Then: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Merlin peered out of his left eye to find Arthur turned to him and eyeing him suspiciously. He opened his eyes again and looked back into Arthur's eyes.

"It means that, if one is new to a place, like me, or feels unsafe in a place he might isn't new to due to an intruder, like you, one most probably has a hard time falling asleep because his unconsciousness won't relax so easily." He shut his eyes again.

"Hum.", Arthur said. It was quiet again after that, both of them listening to the respective other one breathing.

Normally, Merlin would have had a thousand questions: How life at _Camelot College _was. Which teachers the ones to get easy marks from were. Which unspoken rules there were to stick to. How the other ones were. Which societies brought the most fun. Even how the food tasted.

And normally, he would have just gone for it, annoying Arthur to no end, but somehow he just didn't found it in him to a) break the awkward silence _again_ without a real conversation developing and b) he still wasn't sure if Arthur was the one he'd have liked to answer his questions. He should probably wait until he could get to Lance the other day.

Much to his surprise, it was Arthur who broke the silence after a while by clearing his throat:

"Merlin?"

"Hm?" He opened one eye again. Arthur was staring at the ceiling.

"Where do you come from?"

The question marks were all written over his face.

"Uhh... Great Britain, I guess?" Even in the dim light he could see Arthur rolling his eyes.

"I know, _Mer_lin. I mean, which county, which city do you come from?"

"Oh, I don't think it will say you something, it's a small village a few hours up from Nottingham, Ealdor."

"Hm. Couldn't have told it by your accent." Pause again. "And why are you here?"

"My mom tried to get me in, because I said I wanted to be a doctor some time ago, and she thought I had the best opportunities in education and getting a proper place in uni here."

"So you wanna be a doctor?"

"No, I... I don't know. I mean, my mother sacrificed so much, I couldn't really tell her I'd rather study physics by the time I finally got the scholarship, could I?"

Arthur nodded, far from understanding, Merlin could tell.

"So, you're one of those science geeks then?"

"If you like to call it that."

Arthur shortly raised his eyebrows, then laughed a bit.

"Sleep well, Merlin, it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

And with that, he turned his back and made himself comfortable to sleep. Merlin closed his eyes as well and tried to fall asleep as well.

"Arthur?"

"Yes, _Mer_lin?"

"Why the sudden interest?"

"Oh, I thought it might soothe my unconsciousness to know your not a psychopathic mass murderer."

"So chances are there is some reason in that brain of yours?"

Arthur nudged him with his foot under the sheets.

"Yes, Merlin, one can have that without wanting to follow some old deadhead like Newton in his life choices, I'll have you know."

Merlin bid back a comment that Newton originally had studied philosophy and he really really really had no intention whatsoever to do so, but instead said: "I'm looking forward to it.", which gained him another nudge with the foot.

Arthur turned around again, shook his head and said: "There's something about you Merlin... I can't quite put my finger on it."

With a last nod, he turned around again.

Merlin turned to his back and smiled. Arthur might be a prat, a rich pompous arse even, who was most likely to take full advantage of Merlin's mathematical knowledge from now on, but maybe, and just maybe, the next year wouldn't be as horrible as he had expected.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I'm so sorry, it must feel like I've abandoned this fic, which really I haven't or at least didn't plan to, but writing is so much slower than me thinking, whenever I spent some time doing it, I feel like I've accomplished _nothing_ afterwards. Plus, exam stress is kicking and my teachers rather want me to write something for them than for you, so please sue them for having to wait so long.

But for now, enjoy the story, I'm planning to give the story line a "wind up" and go one moving things rather... forward ;)

* * *

Next thing Merlin knew was him sitting across Gaius, who was pouring some white tea, in his office a week later on Wednesday evening, feeling slightly out of breath though his daily dose of running had decreased to mere a quarter of an hour a day, if even so much, because there simply was no need to run anymore. He had been late for class – oh, so very late – quite a couple of times yet, but had always managed to get there on time somehow, because nothing in this place was to far away to reach. It was not the running, it was the general feeling of a permanent, but not exactly unpleasant occupation of his time. Which was why he was very grateful, that Gaius had urged him to have tea with him this evening, because if he wouldn't, somebody would have been sure to drag him somewhere to 'show him how things went', and Merlin wasn't sure how much he could take anymore in this time span.

"Sooo, young Merlin", Gaius had the power to make one feel uncomfortable and protected by knowledge at the same time, "how are things working out?"

Merlin shifted a bit. Gaius eyebrow-raised gaze seemed to look bone-deep in his soul and Merlin was sure he knew every single one of his insecurities immediately, but wanted him to speak them out by himself.

"Uhm", Merlin began, "Uh... good." He shifted again.

"Feeling very talkative today, aren't we?" If it was good for one thing, than that Gaius' ongoing sarcasm never failed to lift a situation's tension, so Merlin huffed a laugh.

"Well... I don't know what to say. I'm not exactly sure how things are working out, because I'm not sure what should. Or can. Or, if, I don't know, uhh..." He was about to flail widely with his arms, and because Gaius didn't want to see him suffer from insecurities – and maybe, because he wanted to save his china – he interfered by asking: "Merlin, it's okay. I just want you to tell me what happened. If something needs to be discussed, we'll come there. Just use me as a vocal diary, if you want to." Merlin nodded. And sighed.

What had happened to him?

Things had been odd after waking up the week before's next morning. Not only did he fetch his toothbrush from Arthur's wardrobe and face his new classmates all shirtless in the bathroom, being eyed curiously, but also had to deal with Arthur asking him, why on earth he was up this early. Arthur, as it seemed, never bothered to go down for breakfast and simply slept until it was time to go to class. Which made Merlin, unable to start a day without a breakfast, tiptoe around his room, searching for his pens and quietly rummaging through drawers for books, because he was afraid he would end as a breakfast if he woke Arthur again, given the former look on his face.

When he finally was ready, he had gone searching for the boarding house's dining room and was lucky to stumble into a tall, handsome young lad who fortunately introduced himself as a Lance.

"...and you really were right, if I wouldn't get along with him, I probably wouldn't with anybody. So he took me to breakfast and introduced me to the others from the, err, football team. It was a bit... I don't know, awkward, because they all thought, as I was living with Arthur, I had to play football, too, but I wasn't, so I kinda took them their first small talk topic straight from the roots, but they were nice." When they then headed for class, one of the footballer blokes had slung his arm around Merlin's shoulders, and sort of decided to be his mentor/tutor for the first couple of days.

Gwaine remembered Merlin to an unhealthy degree of Will, and he had made a mental note to introduce them some time. There didn't seemed to be a breach of the rules Gwaine hadn't committed yet (or didn't plan to) and most of the teachers seemed to be after him for each and everything, but still liked him, somehow. He was really hard not to like. And though Merlin was puzzled by him at first, which always made him shy, he soon had figured him out and found himself already laughing at Gwaine's jokes in the first break. He craved to learn more about _Camelot College_ and Gwaine seemed to be just the right person to tell him _everything_ about it.

Which he would have, Merlin knew, if he wouldn't have been quietened by the teachers each time he tried and later by the others, always saying: "Oh, Gwaine, don't spoil anything for him, would you?" And Merlin was left wondering what there was to be spoiled for him, because the others either exchanged mischievous glances – but not really the mean sort, like girls do – or winked at him smugly. _Everybody_ seemed to know everything about everything and Merlin felt awkward in the middle of their group, because most of the time they treated him like he was one of them, but he felt like he wasn't, at least not yet, but he wondered how it should be possible to fit in with this lot of all gorgeous looking, wealthy young men who had lived together for the last five years and knew each other like their backs of the hand.

"And I can't ever catch up with that, can I? I mean, not possibly in the next time, with all the exams lined up just now, and after that it will probably be to late, and I'll be the awkward village guy who doesn't play football forever. And I don't even know the ones who don't play football yet, but I doubt I can be liked by the footballers anymore if I'd befriend the others, I don't know, they just seem like it, but I really want them to like me, because I like them, but... Does that even make sense?"

"Although there seem to be a lot of things that "you don't know", it does, at least until now. Go on, please. Those first insecurities are just normal, give yourself time."

"Well, okay. Where was I? Oh yes, and those things they're always hinting? What is there to be spoiled for me and what experiences do I have to make on my own? It's just humiliating to leave me craving for information all this time."

Now it was Gaius time to huff a laugh.

"Oh, don't worry Merlin, you'll see soon enough."

Merlin rolled his eyes. If even Gaius didn't tell him, there was no use trying to get information from anybody.

His afternoons – or rather evenings – he spent being shown around by Gwaine, or Lance, or anybody else who just had time for him, in the first place so he would find every place he would sooner or later need to go to and secondly, so he knew which activities there were to do. Merlin doubted he would improved the rower's team, nor did he feel brave enough to fence or join the others at football. But he also didn't dared to tell the others he'd like to join the student's paper or chemistry society just yet. Not that their opinion should matter to him – and it didn't really, but he wondered how long he had to keep up snorting matches with Arthur during their time for homework (which often wasn't enough) when they talked about their interests, sometimes.

He had come to know everybody as open-minded and friendly, and in a way, Arthur was, too; he just wasn't the easiest one to put up with, and Merlin sometimes wished he would have been accommodated with Lance, who took some severe interest in his hobbies.

But no, he was stuck with Arthur – handsome, somewhat ambitious, brave and even loyal Arthur – who was clever despite using using thirteen-year-olds for math homework, who had great plans for the football the team he was the captain of and was – how should it have been different – the headmaster's son. Each day Merlin learned a new thing about Arthur - "Yes, he's had piano lessons for about nine years now, but has only won a few prizes." "Oh no, those silly plans for the world leadership? That was fun, but it was Arthur's idea first!" - he wasn't sure whether he should be flattered or simply envy him, because how could it be fair that some guys had just _all_ the luck? It wasn't. And what was even more unfair, was that Merlin could feel himself falling for Arthur each and every day, a little bit more with every second, and as Gaius recognized his empty stared that had spread in the depth of the room and asked: "Merlin? What's up?"

Merlin looked at him with big eyes and said: "I think I might be officially doomed."

* * *

**A/N: **Next chapter is as good as written and will come here on Saturday!


	5. Chapter 4

Telling Gaius he was gay had been awkward, even more awkward than anything that had happened to him to this point. Gaius had been understanding – he didn't know why he just _knew_ that he had to be, but Gaius seemed to be understanding of and for everything. Although he had encouraged him to stay and even come out at some point, Merlin felt like an eternal part of him was missing as he slumped against the door inside his room.

„Turn out the lights, please, when you get in here.", came Arthur's order from across the room. "Wow, even a 'please' this time! Someone is developing social demeanour!", Merlin thought grumpily but instead muttered „Sure.", not feeling particularly sociable at the time but figured that this was a common boarding school thing, you either always had to be sociable, or put up with company even when being mentally on edge. (The first one was easily declared impossible in his mind, so he accepted his fate and turned the lights out.)

Falling asleep was hard. Harder than usual because by now he was accustomed to fall asleep to the slow breathing of Arthur, who right now, and of course just tonight, seemed to _refuse_ to fall asleep. Like, on purpose.

It had already stopped bothering him, that they had to sleep in one bed. Well, it sort of never did. But he had had second thoughts on what the myriads of boys who came to introduce themselves to him over the last days might think. This was of course _before_ he discovered that practically every second room had it's furniture like this. Gwaine and Percival had their beds moved together, and Lance and Leon's beds met at the top ends, so they could talk in the night.

"Nobody can stay straight for a long time in a place like this", Gwaine had told him the other with a wink. Merlin must have looked truly frightened, because Percival had just slapped Gwaine over the head and said: "Oh, would you stop that, he isn't ready yet. Look, you've frightened him!" "Oh, do you know what'd really be frightening? Your..." Unfortunately – or maybe for the better – Merlin never got to know what Percival possessed that was really frightening, because they had started a mock wrestling challenge there and then that sort of ended in a tickle fight, which ended in a bit more slapping and then going straight back to routine. Merlin had sat there watching them smiling, because he somewhat adored their friendship and how impossibly well everybody seemed to get along. "Maybe", he had thought, "Maybe one day I'll be a part of them as well. Maybe everything will be exactly as easy. But maybe..."

These thoughts came back to him as he heard Arthur letting out a muffled groan and rearranging his sheets. Merlin sighed as well, but didn't dare to turn because he sort of expected Arthur to believe he would mimic him on purpose and then threaten to make his life hell again. Not that he'd done that. Well, not that he would do that... often. Well, mostly only when he was half asleep or particularly hungry or found another reason to be cranky, but it still wasn't a circumstance Merlin was like to be put in at that time. (Try sleeping under threatened mortal danger. Get's difficult.)

"But I can't be that bad", was the last thought that stumbled through his mind before he drifted of, "or he would have long suffocated me by now with a pillow or..."

He woke again in darkness. Not that it ever got light in the student chambers in November, but this darkness was unusual, eerily. A dreadful husked laugh got to his ear, and as he startled to open his eyes, there was no change of light.

Which was why he was wearing a blind, how he soon figured after the sleepy fog in his mind lifted.

"Merrrrrrrlin", a voice purred then cackled a laugh, "Merrrrrrrlin!"

"Gwaine?", Merlin was quite certain it was Gwaine.

"Your supernatural hearing abilities won't do you any favour in this challenge! Get up!", another voice – most probably Arthur's – demanded and slapped on the pillow beside him. Merlin grumbled but did as he was told. He wasn't sure what the others were doing with him, and wasn't really sure that he wanted to know, but decided to just go along with it – it seemed like the best way to go back to bed as fast as possible.

"Do you need handcuffs?"

"What!?"

"Gwaine, leave it. Merlin, you take this", Arthur handed him a piece of cloth, which Merlin couldn't decipher with doubtless certainty as a hem of a shirt, but supposed it was, "and follow. Let's go!"

And Merlin began to march where the piece led him. It took no five minutes and he had absolutely no clue, where he was.

"Where am I?"

"Stupid questions are not to be answered.", Gwaine mocked in a very good impression of Arthur's dad, who was their ('slightly' biased) history teacher. After that Merlin heard slap, and some giggles, and supposed Arthur had hold Gwaine accountable for what he'd done. Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Okay, where are we going?"

"Stupid questions..."

"Gwaine!"

"Okay, okay, I'll leave it! Sorry, Merlin, no information today. But I can tell you something about the weather: Did you know, that as tomorrow is the beginning of December and therefore winter time at _Camelot College_, the weather forecast has announced a snowy weekend for all of us? That's great isn't it?"

When Merlin only shrugged Gwaine added: "Oh, of course, you don't know what that means! Well, let me tell you: Snowball fights all over the school grounds!"

"Sometimes I wonder how you even got in here.", said Arthur and Merlin could practically see him shaking his head. Gwaine continued to giggle.

Then suddenly, Merlin felt a hand on his chest, causing him to stop.

"Quiet now, Gwaine! You've already spoiled enough, always nearly telling him. Now don't mess with ceremony's graveness!"

Ceremony? What kind of ceremony? It was in the middle of the night? Merlin was even more confused than he'd been before, but he could sense the existence of some more people in the room and through his blind came dimmed warm light, like from candlelights. He wondered very curiously what there was in stock for him.

He was dragged forward a few more steps and then Arthur admonished him to take a seat. After he'd done so, Gwaine finally lifted his blind.

Merlin blinked a few times, to adjust to the new source of light around him. He was in the attic of his boarding house, a huge room with lots of stuff standing all around, but in one of the wider corners, the other guys had arranged a few couches in front of a window, from which it was possible to look all the way down the hill into the next village, and all around the couches, there were tons of little candlelights, that created a warm light. He was seated on an armchair in the middle of some couches, on which the other guys had gathered and eyed him with anticipation.

"But open fire is forbidden, isn't it?", was the first thing Merlin mustered. Elyan laughed.

"Merlin. Leaving the rooms at night is forbidden. Coming up here _no matter which time of the day_ is forbidden. Drinking alcohol", he gestured at the open beer bottles in front of them, "is forbidden. And you really fret about... candles?"

"Oh."

Merlin blushed. His brain wasn't prepared, so he needed a few seconds to realise what it all meant: The others, sitting in the attic in the middle of the night, drinking beer...

"Anyway", Arthur clapped on his shoulder, "we've solemnly gathered here today, not to marry you off to Gwaine-"

"Sorry mate, I couldn't persuade them.", Gwaine cut in on Arthur and pouted at Merlin,

"but...", Arthur gave Gwaine a threatening glance, "to admit you to our little group of fifth formers. You have every right to feel honoured, because yes, this is a privilege not everybody comes to know of." The others chuckled in appreciation. Merlin smiled. So that was what it was supposed to be: A initiation rite!

"But...", and Arthur's grip in his shoulder grew tighter, "this is a boys' school. So, of course, one has to crack an egg before making an omelet" - for some reason, everybody thought this metaphor to be extremely laughable - "which means in your case: A qualifying examination, hosted by me, your roommate!"

Merlin looked up at Arthur in awe, not sure whether to be frightened or just incredibly thankful. Because this meant a lot to him, that somebody actually cared to make him part of the group, it made him feel special and accepted by them. But on the other side... it was Arthur who created the test, and this meant he would suffer, at least a little bit.

"Please, nothing sporty. Please...", Merlin thought by himself and crossed his fingers underneath his calves.

"Gwaine, the blind again, please!", Arthur commanded, and everything was dark again for Merlin.

Great.

"Okay, _Mer_lin, I have notice over the last week, that you are working a lot, and I mean, an _aw_ful lot with your senses! A look at the size would have done the job too, but if you prefer to smell if a T-Shirt is mine or yours... feel free to do so."

Merlin closed his eyes and felt the blush creeping up to his ears. That had been one – _one time_ – when he was sure that Arthur had left for the shower, that he had absentmindedly picked his shirt up and took a quick sniff – just to know, what Arthur smelled like beneath the expensive aftershave, if it could really make his heart beat a little faster, if his pillow was anything to go by. Arthur was certainly never supposed to see this. But now... well. He would have to deal with the consequences.

"And because of that, I have picked one of the easiest challenges there is for you. Each one of the guys has now something edible – or drinkable – in their hands. And your task is, simply to tell me, what it is. Therefore you can choose, whether you want to taste it – or smell it. Easy, isn't it?"

Merlin nodded. The task was – really easy, nothing compared to the nightmares he already half had expected – but of course he smelled the fish. Like, literally. He was sure, for each of this applied a single rule: Only one of the techniques was applicable.

"What if I fail?", Merlin asked.

"Oh, don't worry, we'll accept you even if you don't name of these things right – but because this is just for the fun of it, the things you don't recognize will go straight in your face, of course."

"Of course.", Merlin gulped and felt shivers going down his spine. It was not too bad – but having food shoved in his face was definitely an experience he'd rather sidestep.

"Ready?", Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded.

"Okay: Would rather smell or taste what Gwaine has brought here for you?"

"Smell", Merlin decided quickly. He knew Gwaine probably best of them, so he sort of expected him to have brought something utterly disgusting. He had probably convinced the others that 'worn socks' were of course edible and therefore qualified, and Merlin rather took a quick sniff at them than actually having to chew that sort of thing.

"Here you go."

Merlin sniffed. "Have you placed something under my nose?", he asked after a few seconds.

"Yes.", Arthur said, grin audible.

"Uhm.", was all Merlin could muster. He felt slightly fooled. Either the thing Gwaine had brought simply _had no smell – _which was highly, _highly_ unlikely – or there simply was no thing to begin with.

"I'm sorry, he said finally. I thought... well, I don't know. I don't know what it is."

He heard the boys' hissing after that statement, and could again practically see the slight curlinf of Arthur's lips when he said: "Well... If this is the case, you know what to do, Gwaine!"

"Really, Merlin...", Gwaine sighed, "Why couldn't you just pick 'taste'? An apple really wouldn't have been that hard to do!", before he went to make Merlin a crown out of apple skins.

"Beautiful", Arthur snarled, "but let's get on with it. Leon?"

"Uhh... I'd like to taste this time.", Merlin decided.

"Okay. Leon, hand him the beverage." It was abnormal how comfortable Arthur was in his role as the commander. Comes from being the team captain for way to much time, Merlin figured.

"So much beforehand: It's a drink this time.", Arthur mocked.

Merlin wished he could have seen him roll his eyes. Then again, he also was glad he couldn't.

He grasped the cup with both hands and took a cautious sip. And spit it right back into the cup. "Ugh.", he moaned and stuck his tongue out.

"This is disgusting.", he uttered, but he heard the others giggle around him. "I would never attempt to drink something like this, but I can only imagine this is coffee isn't it? Or was, at least, because now it's cold."

The cheering and clapping on his shoulder assured him that he had guessed right.

"Very well done", Arthur said, and for a moment Merlin could have totally mistaken him for his father, "Elyan is up next. What do you want to do?"

"Taste again." Merlin figured, that tasting was probably the more unpleasant way to find out about the possible goods, but also the one more likely to prevent him from getting things thrown into his face.

"Okay then, beak up!", Elyan said, and placed something on his tongue. Merlin closed his mouth again and sucked lightly at the four-sided thing in his mouth. It didn't took him long until he exclaimed: "Chocolate!" and was proven right.

"That was an easy one", Arthur admitted and sounded almost huffy.

"Probably. But one question: How did you want to shove that in my face?", Merlin asked.

"Oh, we had some warmed up to smear it across those lovely cheek bones of yours. Just in case you picked to smell. Lance, it's your turn!"

"I think I'd like to try tasting again.", Merlin said.

"Once you got the taste, huh?" Gwaine chuckled at his own joke.

"Gwaine, please. Watch out, Merlin, it's a beverage again."

Merlin was glad he picked 'tasting', because so he had at least a chance to get it right – the liquid smelled like right out _nothing_ again – but again pulled a face once he had it in his mouth.

"Ah, Lance, what is this? Buttermilk?"

"Almost. But the correct answer would have been 'yogurt dressing'... at least according to the package. I'll show you later on."

And simple as that, Merlin found himself sitting there with 'yogurt dressing', which he still remained convicted about was buttermilk, dripping of his nose and chin. "Nice.", he muttered.

"Oh, come on. You're nearly done. One last treat from Percival, though. What do you think? Save to taste _again_?", Arthur asked. Merlin inwardly shook his head on how much he seemed to enjoy being in power in situations like this.

"Uhm... I don't know, really. I... think I smell again."

And if only he would have listened to his inner voice, he wouldn't have guessed "strawberry milkshake" and then sat there with a big piece of cake smeared all around his face.

"The poor cake", Gwaine said, "it looked so lovely. It would have loved to be eaten by me."

"And who bought it again?", Percival demanded, only to be nudged by Gwaine.

Merlin sat there, after Arthur had taken down his blind and handed him a beer with an appreciating grin, absolutely contented with himself and the world around him.

He felt like part of something, like it finally meant something to someone that he was there. He had sat down on the couch next to Arthur, who had raised his beer and said: "To Merlin, that first of us not to play football and still trying to change sweaty tops from time to time.", and left him wondering, what he could have possibly done to earn all of this.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Yes, it's been a long time. And I'm very sorry. But it's so much easier to have a story in ones head than to actually write it down, I always have to force myself to do it, and this wasn't exactly easy the last weeks. I hope I will finish this before the Christmas bells ring. (And I'm sorry, but I think it will get superdooper-fluffy from now on.)

* * *

Waking up was uncomfortable.

Arthur tried to stretch his neck, when he felt he was unable to do so, because a snoring Gwaine was sleeping on his left shoulder and on top of that, Merlin, with his face still smeary-slimey-sticky with god knows what he had got into his face yesterday, was drooling on his chest.

The possibility of him being glued to Arthur's shirt didn't even seem unlikely.

Arthur sighed. They should have moved back to bed somewhere along the night. Now they were seated in the attic in their nightwear, candles long blown out, with the cold creeping around everywhere.

Arthur quickly considered the possibility of leaving for his bed and sleeping for another couple of hours, the heating turned up to an unhealthy degree. It was a very comfortable thought.

Then he realised it was the first of December, which meant there would be the monthly announcement by his father before the first lesson, and there was no excuse for missing them. And they were probably late already.

„Merlin!", he murmured and nudged his head, which caused Merlin to slide face-first into his crotch and then turn around awkwardly – but with unusual pace for just having been woken – to stare up at him. He smiled, which remembered Arthur of a little kitten, as he saw the small bags under Merlin's eyes.

„Morning", Merlin yawned.

„I suggest you shower quickly, we have the monthly announcements to attend and i supposed you would want to turn up like this."

He snippet some hardened cake crumbs from Merlin's nose.

Merlin's eyes, still drowsy, followed the movement, before looking back at Arthur and nodding slowly. Merlin, ever the kitty.

As Merlin sat up, Arthur shook Gwaine awake with his shoulder and kicked Elyan, who had passed out vertically to their feet. The only one clever enough to go down at some point had of course been Lance. As per usual.

Right when Merlin found his way to the stairs to make his way to the shower, the all heard a: „Sorry Merlin, shower will have to wait!" and saw Merlin shuffled back to the couches by a smiling Lance – of course looking like the Rising Sun – who had brought breakfast for all of them.

„It's toast time!", he announced happily, „Who fancies some coffee?"

„Good morning, lads, I hope you had a successful November. As always, there are no projects to be awarded because the November is used for studying and comprehension only. Which also means that today the last weeks of the term have begun and you are about to your exams. The plans for when you'll have which are located in the glass cabinet in the student's hall, just like every year.

For the older ones, please guide the first years there, so they won't miss theirs. Thank you."

Uther Pendragon spoke with a grave voice, and the lads lurking around somewhere near to the last row of seats were still yawning, most of them more asleep then awake, in spite of how they all had complimented Lance's coffee.

"Still, there are a few announcements to be made. For one, I'd like to introduce a new student to you"

Merlin's head, which he had located neatly on his folded fingers on his knees, snapped up in sudden motion. Arthur looked at him as if he couldn't comprehend what he'd just done.

"Some of you might have met him already, for he's been here for a week already, but nevertheless you should all welcome Merlin." Uther paused and cleared his throat. He was clearly waiting for something.

Merlin threw a horrid glance at Arthur. Arthur cocked his head to the side as if he'd want to say: "Well then, up up and away with you."

Merlin stood with shaky feet and marched up the podium next to the headmaster.

"Welcome, Merlin.", Mr Pendragon shook his hand and then turned back to the audience, who eyed Merlin curiously, "Merlin is in fifth form now and a scholarship student who..."

Merlin couldn't quite believe his ears. Was the headmaster just giving the whole school a summary of his curriculum vitae and explained why he was here?

He almost blushed and wanted desperately to look down, find a hole next to his feet where he could jump into, but instead began to search the crowd for a bit reassurance. He hated public attention on him.

The boys from his class however, were clearly not paying any. Well, all of them except of Arthur.

When he met his gaze, Arthur arched up a brow – that's what living in Mr Gaius' boarding house does to you, Merlin thought – and winked at him.

Merlin tried a fake exasperated expression on his face, which made Arthur chuckle.

Then he rolled his eyes. Merlin shrugged. Then Arthur pointed on his wrist and held five fingers up. Merlin nodded. Arthur leaned back in his chair and started to nod in the rhythm of his father's explanations. Merlin grinned. He hadn't uttered a word and still this was a better conversation than he'd ever had with Arthur.

Then Uther Pendragon finally clapped him on the shoulder and ushered him back to his seat, to explain the new building measures that were about to be taken in the next year.

To say that Arthur had expected his father to call him to his office afterwards was about the underestimation of the year. (And there had been _a lot_.)

Arthur was practically already knocking when some teacher came out of it to search for him.

"Oh, there you are. Please, go on."

Uther himself looked surprised when his son strode into his office as if he would own it – no change then – and sat down before he could ask him to do so. He was used to do this, although Arthur was right most of the time – being a peer not made him King. (But the 128. in the succession to the throne, at least.)

"Figured you wanted to talk to me.", Arthur said before he could raise his voice. Then he scratched his nose and appraised his finger nails. One could never be sure if Arthur was putting on a show, or just really disinterested in _everything_ surrounding him.

"Uhm, apparently, yes, yes indeed, I wanted to talk to you. About the new boy."

Arthur nodded slowly with an expecting expression. "Yes?"

"How's he adjusting?"

Arthur's thoughts went to back to the night before and he was about to say: "Well, better than expected, he doesn't whine about beer like a first grader.", but then figured this would be a little stupid. So he decided to play the unfair-treated stubborn child instead.

"Oh, how he is adjusting? That's all you care about? Please, don't ask about Arthur who has to put up with the new child and re-organise all his day and study times around him, because of course, for him, nothing has changed _at all_."

Uther crossed his brows and glared a bit a Arthur.

Then he sighed: "Yes, Arthur, because I'm talking to you as the headmaster now, not as your father! Please, tell me how _Merlin_ is adjusting, for this one of your duties as the class representative!"

Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Fine. He's doing just fine."

Uther looked at him suspiciously.

"Really?"

"Yes, why not? He's sort of... bonded with Gwaine or Lance and I think has joined a few clubs already. As long as he's not trying to join the football team, we'll be fine, I guess."

Uther said nothing.

"Thanks for asking, by the way, it's great to see someone showing interest in my life", Arthur mocked. Of course he wasn't as annoyed as he pretended that his father didn't ask him, but it was fun to play petulant. As if Merlin would ever get the idea to join the football team. It was more likely he'd found a acrobat sociality, despite all his clumsiness and gangly limbs.

Uther still said nothing.

"Is that everything?", Arthur asked, drumming on his calf again. Uther looked at him again.

"Arthur, did you pay attention to what I just said when introducing Merlin?"

Arthur smiled innocently. "Uhm..."

"Listen, Arthur, it is important, more important than you might think, that we keep Merlin at this school. He may be unlikely to change back at the moment, but you have to try your best to make it comfortable here for him. Oh, and don't look at me like that, I know your reputation best, the younger ones simply don't dare to spill the beans every time you harass or abuse them. So just... don't."

Arthur nodded, but still looked unconvinced. Not that he had planned to... harass Merlin or something like that, but he liked it when someone looked at him in a little awe, and be it fear. Why it was so important that Merlin stayed completely unmocked, so he wouldn't consider a change back to his old school, was beyond him.

"I'm serious Arthur, I have nothing against a little mocking here and there, but just make sure that you don't exaggerate it, at times."

"Yes, father, I think you made yourself clear. But... why is that so important? I mean... Merlin seems okay, bit geeky maybe, but nothing I wouldn't..."

"Arthur, Merlin is probably the most intelligent person you have ever met, and that at the age of 16. He has won the International Physics Olympiads the last three years in a row. Most of the students of the same age won't even able to explain to you what Physics exactly are. He has done experiments at his old school's laboratory that go way beyond what is done in school. The scholarship people talk about him like he's the next Einstein. Don't you know what he could possibly mean for this school? The reputation he could bring, the fame?"

"Huh." Arthur took a few seconds to process what he'd just come to know.

So he was living together with a genius. Interesting. Not that he hadn't always thought about Merlin like that – one just had to take a look at his maths homework, so much more promising than the first grader's ones, although a bit to good to be nicked – but having it spelled out like that made him a bit uncomfortable coming to think of it.

What he knew what his father didn't? Some background on Merlin's personal life. And it just didn't appear right to him, that his father would treat him like a machine to win as many trophies as possible so the school would shine in all it's glory under his lead. So typical of his father.

"Yes.", he finally said sarcastically, "I know. I won't let him be doing my homework no more in the future."

"Arthur! This is to be taken seriously."

"Yeah.", Arthur nodded. Whatever, he thought.

"I'll take your word on it. You may go now."

"Cool."

Arthur turned around in his chair and made his exit pretty quick.

Merlin turned his head around when the third rubber gum hit his ear.

"Arthur, I'm not sure what you're trying to do, but contrary to your belief, my ears don't lend themselves as goals and there are some around that want to study."

Arthur had given up at his homework about half an hour ago, when he'd seen that Merlin was currently juggling with lots of terms to do some mathematical demonstration.

He shrugged with his hands held up in the air and said: "No idea what your talking about!", smiling innocently.

"Sure", Merlin snorted and turned back to his terms.

"_Merrr_lin", Arthur whined further, until Merlin turned to him with an exasperated sigh.

"Why are you doing this, anyway? There aren't really any lessons to be hold anymore, just an exam a day and then the term is over!"

Merlin just shook his head muttered something that sounded a lot more like a harassment than anything Arthur would have probably ever uttered against him, then turned back to his books.

"Merlin!"

He threw another rubber gum.

"Please, Merlin, I'm bored, and you're the only person I know that is still taking 'homework time' seriously!"

"Maybe because it's checked by the end of the day?"

"Yes, but I can tell you've finished yours ages ago and are now dealing with something far to special for my likes just to avoid talking to me. I can sense that, you know."

"Hmm, then you are a lot less dimwitted than I had expected."

The following rubber gum was anticipated, so Merlin ducked his head.

"Yeah, okay, all right, but believe me, this is more interesting than it sounds."

"Yes, for someone with an IQ of 195, maybe.", Arthur snorted.

"What?", Merlin asked.

"Oh, nothing.", Arthur grumbled and waved him off.

Merlin rolled his eyes again and made another attempt to turn back to his homework when Arthur asked:

"Merlin? Would you go back to your old school?"

Merlin looked at him with wide eyes.

"What? Are you asking me to leave? Isn't that a bit unsubtle?"

"Wha... no. No! I'm not asking you to leave, we've just initiated you and I'm sort of friendly to you right now, you know? I was just wondering... If you would go back to your school. If I'd annoy you to much."

Merlin sighed deeply and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Well...", he began, then stared a bit to a spot next to Arthur's head.

Would he go back? To be bored in class all day, bullied from time to time for knowing too much and constantly being teased by Will? Not that it was any different with Arthur and the others, it just... felt different. A better kind of different. He still didn't really belong, but he felt accepted, for some things he said even appreciated, and now that he knew that feeling, he wouldn't be able to forget it when he'd sit back in his own class.

"... That's actually about the least possible thing I'm planning to let happen in my future."

And for the smile from Arthur he got for that alone, it would be worth to stay.


End file.
